Dec. 31--You are geared up to start a walking routine and you realize that even when the weather outside isn't frightful, the footing sure is.
There are crusty snow piles at the corner to be climbed over and stretches of icy sidewalks that even Bonnie Blair couldn't navigate.
Don't give up. Take it inside.
Local malls open early for walkers to stretch their legs before shoppers arrive. Some malls have partnerships with health care agencies, which provide seminars and equip walkers with pedometers, T-shirts or bottles of water.
"Here walking is very, very popular. You see the numbers increase as it gets colder," said Cheryl Rouse, director of mall marketing at Southridge Mall.
As much as walking is a healthy choice, it's also a social gathering for the walkers.
"You see a lot of unity out there," Rouse said.
At The Shops of Grand Avenue, downtown's skywalk system is an attraction for walkers, said Erica Anderson, marketing director. The walkways provide extended indoor routes, and Anderson's office provides maps for those who aren't sure about the layout of the skywalks.
Brookfield Square has a regular walkers group and also a strollers walking group that meets once a month.
The idea of a strollers group came up when Brookfield Square was meeting with Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare-Elmbrook Memorial to discuss sponsorship of walking programs at the mall.
"There are a lot of moms out there with strollers. We thought, 'What a great opportunity,' " said Susan Juntunen, director of public relations and communications for the hospital.
The Pettit National Ice Center has an indoor track that can be used for $3 per day. There are often speed skaters, hockey players and figure skaters to watch while you're walking.
"It's a little nicer ambience than listening to cash registers ringing," said Rob Multerer, the Pettit's director of operations.
The track is popular with coaches and parents when there's down time during events at the Pettit, he said.
"Instead of sitting around, they'll start walking," he said.
TIPS FROM WALKERS
Getting started on a regular walking program is easy, say those who use the local malls for getting exercise.
Here's some of their advice:
Just do it: "Start," says Karen Schneble, 69, of Wauwatosa, who was walking on a recent snowy morning at Mayfair Mall.
She began a regular walking regimen in March. "I started late, but it's never too late."
The first time she walked, she could do just one lap at the mall. Now she does 4 1/2 miles most days with her husband, John.
"I've gotten so peppy from this," she said.
Della Hatcher, 64, of Milwaukee also enjoys the benefits of walking.
"I have so much more energy. It keeps me young," said Hatcher, who line-dances two days a week and walks three days a week, usually at Bayshore Town Center.
Start slow: Take it easy at first, suggests Al Piering, 78, of Menomonee Falls. You'll build endurance and increase how far you can walk as you go.
Drink up: Just because you're inside and maybe not working up a huge sweat, it's still exercise and you need to stay hydrated. Bring a bottle of water along, or scout out the water fountains.
Get good shoes: Schneble says she has two pairs of good walking shoes, alternating them every day that she walks.
Dress for exercise: You may need to wear a coat to the mall during winter, but don't plan on walking in it. You'll warm up quickly walking indoors.
Piering leaves his coat at home. He parks close enough to the mall that he can go without his coat. Other walkers wear a coat wrapped around their waist or pile them up on benches and sofas in the mall.
Schneble recommends wearing layers. She usually starts walking with a sweater that she takes off after a few laps.
Hatcher suggests loose-fitting clothes. You don't want to feel too confined while you're stretching out your stride.
Put that pastry down: Food courts in malls offer tempting delights, but you don't want to indulge in something that will negate all those calories you just burned off.
Hatcher eats a good breakfast beforehand but still works up a good appetite while walking. Even so, she tries to avoid snacking before lunch. If you need a post-walk snack, stick with something healthy such as fruit or carrot sticks.
HOURS AND INFORMATION
Mayfair Mall, 2500 N. Mayfair Road, Wauwatosa
Hours: Opens for walkers at 7 a.m., Monday-Saturday; 8 a.m. Sunday.
Distance/time: One lap of the main area on the first level without walking down side hallways is one-quarter mile.
Added plus: There are always plenty of folks around for people watching.
Tip: Once the mall opens to shoppers, the first level can get crowded. The second level offers a bit more breathing room.
The Shops of Grand Avenue,
275 W. Wisconsin Ave.
Hours: Opens for walkers at 6 a.m., Monday-Friday; 7 a.m. Saturday; 9 a.m. Sunday.
Distance/time: The mall hasn't measured a walking route but hopes to do so soon. It took 12 minutes to walk at a moderate pace from the second-level interior entrance to Boston Store, turning at the top of the stairwell leading to Borders Books and returning to Boston Store.
Added plus: Early hours are perfect for a pre-work walk, and the skywalks provide long routes that take you over the river and through some interesting downtown architecture.
Tip: Start in the lobby of the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee, take the skywalk to the mall and see just how far you can walk without having to step outside.
Southridge Mall, 5300 S. 76th St., Greendale
Hours: Opens for walkers at 6:30 a.m. daily.
Distance/time: One lap using all of the mall's side aisles is one-half mile.
Added plus: Great for early birds. The mall is open for walkers long before the usual (non-holiday season) start of business at 10 a.m.
Bayshore Town Center, 5900 N. Port Washington Road, Glendale
Hours: Opens for walkers at 8 a.m. Monday-Friday; 7 a.m. Saturday; 9 a.m. Sunday.
Distance/time: Walking a route from the rotunda to the food court, nine laps equal 1 mile.
Added plus: A morning walk is the perfect way to check out Bayshore's new look.
Brookfield Square, 95 N. Moorland Road, Brookfield
Hours: Opens for walkers at 7 a.m. daily. (Hours may change in early 2008 because of interior renovation work.)
Distance/time: One lap covering every hallway and the entire food court is nine-tenths of a mile.
Added plus: Strollers walking group meets the second Tuesday of each month. For more information, visit www.shopbrookfieldsquaremall.com, and click on "Sales & Events."
Pettit National Ice Center, 500 S. 84th St. (adjacent to State Fair Park)
Hours: It's $3 for a day pass for the track. From October to March, the track is open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. It does close for some special events. (Visit www.thepettit.com and click on "Fun & Fitness" for more information.)
Distance/time: The track is 450 meters -- 3 1/2 laps to a mile.
Added plus: Whether it's a youth hockey game or a speed skating competition, there's always something to watch.
Tip: Dress a little warmer than you might for a mall walk. With all the ice, it's always cool inside the Pettit.
-----
To see more of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.jsonline.com.
Copyright (c) 2007, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.